


One More Chance

by notyouranswer (gorgeouschaos)



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Kevin recognizes Neil, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:08:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29410281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gorgeouschaos/pseuds/notyouranswer
Summary: Kevin recognizes the Butcher's son the moment he sees Neil Josten.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 13
Kudos: 131





	One More Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Hi y'all! This idea popped into my head and wouldn't leave, so here we go.  
> I need to re-read the books, so the next chapter might be awhile, but feel free to poke me if it's been more than a few weeks.  
> I would love someone to bounce ideas off of and/or beta read-- if you'd be willing, hit me up on Tumblr at i-know-how-my-story-ends.  
> As always, thanks for reading, hope you like it, and I love hearing from you :)

Halfway through the video of Neil Josten, Kevin loses all color from his face.

“What?” Wymack demands. “He’s not that bad.” The kid has a long way to go, sure, but he’s fast and clearly loves the game.

“Yes, he is,” Kevin mutters, but his distaste for Exy amateurs doesn’t explain the way his hands are shaking. 

“Kevin,” Andrew says from where he’s leaning against the wall. His voice is sing-song in a way that spells out danger. He doesn’t need to say anything more to make his point. Wymack eyes Andrew warningly-- he doesn’t expect it to do anything, but it makes him feel better-- then eyes Kevin. 

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Kevin swallows a few times. “We can’t recruit him.”

“Why the hell not?” Wymack lets his frustration seep into his voice. “He’s the best one we’ve got.”

“We just can’t.” Kevin reaches for the next folder. Wymack yanks it away from Kevin instead of grabbing his wrist.

(He knows better than to touch Kevin around Andrew. Hell, he knows better than to touch any of his kids without express permission.)

“Talk, Kevin,” Wymack says. “Or I’m booking tickets to Arizona right now.”

Kevin’s left hand twitches. “He’s dangerous.”

Andrew folds his arms. The wide smile on his face twitches like it’s trying to disappear. Wymack wishes it could. “Elaborate,” Andrew says.

Kevin glances between Andrew and Wymack. “He’s-- the Moriyamas will come after him.”

“Why?” Wymack asks. “And answer the goddamn question. For real this time.”

Kevin’s jaw is clenched. Instead of answering, he pulls out his phone, types something in, and turns the phone to face Wymack. Andrew pushes off the wall and stalks over to see as well. 

The headline on the page Kevin is showing them reads, _Butcher of Baltimore Arrested._ Beneath it is a photo of the man in question, his face lit up with vicious joy despite the handcuffs on his wrists. Wymack’s seen Nathan Wesninski’s face before-- who hasn’t? 

“Why are you showing me this?” Wymack is getting sick of Kevin’s evasiveness, which means Andrew sure as hell is losing his patience.

Kevin turns back to the paused video. Josten’s face is lit up with triumph on the screen. “You see it?”

“See--” Wymack gets halfway through asking before it clicks. The kid’s got different hair and different eyes, but there’s no mistaking that he looks a lot like Nathan Wesninski. Even if their smiles are nothing alike.

“Shit,” he says. “They related?”

Kevin nods miserably. “That’s Nathaniel. Nathan’s son.”

Andrew starts laughing. Wymack wants to tell him to shut up but beats the impulse down. He can’t blame the kid for what his meds do to him. 

“How do you know Neil-- Nathaniel?” Wymack asks. 

“He played Exy with us-- with Riko and I-- once.”

Wymack has just enough time to think _well, that’s not too bad_ before Kevin adds, “Then his father chopped a man into pieces in front of us.”

Andrew’s laughter trails off. 

Wymack stands up so he can pace. Andrew takes his chair and puts his boots on Wymack’s desk. Wymack glares at Andrew, sighs, and asks Kevin, “Does Wesninski know his kid’s playing Exy in Millport?”

“I doubt it,” Kevin mutters. “Nathaniel would probably be dead if he did.”

Wymack stares at the face on the screen. “What’s this kid doing?”

Kevin shrugs, either out of answers or out of courage. “We can’t take him, Coach. He’d get us all killed.”

Andrew says, “Do you not trust me?”

Kevin manages to make eye contact with Andrew. “I do, but--”

“Book us tickets, Coach,” Andrew says as he stands up. That smile has to be hurting his face. “I’m interested.”

Andrew strolls out of the room, slamming the door of Wymack’s office behind him. Wymack sighs and rubs a hand over his face. “Does this kid need help?”

“He’s going to get you killed,” Kevin says. “Does it matter?”

“Of course it fucking matters.”

Kevin’s chin juts out. He looks so much like Kayleigh in that moment that Wymack’s chest hurts. “Andrew can’t protect us all.”

Wymack thinks about the knife he keeps at the small of his back, thinks about the gun Abby keeps in her nightstand, and says, “Let me worry about that. Does this kid need help?”

Kevin says, “He’s going to die when they catch up to him.”

“That’s a yes?”

Kevin nods reluctantly. 

“Then I’m booking tickets.”

Kevin also slams the door behind himself. Wymack makes a mental note to install a heavier door.

He books the tickets. 

He also starts a letter to the president of PSU about additional security.

Hernandez had been right-- Nathaniel Wesninski belongs with the Foxes. The way he keeps an eye on Wymack’s hands speaks volumes.

Wymack manages to get Hernandez to leave him and Kevin alone in Hernandez’s office, then turns to Nathaniel. “I want you to come to Palmetto.”

The kid’s shaking his head. “I can’t.”

“Nathaniel,” Kevin starts. 

Nathaniel bolts. 

He’s out the door before Wymack can even think about trying to catch him. 

Andrew catches him, though. The sound Nathaniel lets out when the racquet hits him in the chest makes Wymack wince. 

“Goddamnit, Minyard.”

“He was rabbiting.” Andrew cackles at his comment. Nathaniel pushes up to his knees and glares at Andrew. “See, Coach? Not damaged.”

“That true?” Wymack asks Nathaniel. Nathaniel takes a few breaths. 

“Nothing’s broken.”

“Good.” Wymack offers him a hand up. Nathaniel flinches away from it. Wymack lowers his hand with that familiar sick feeling in his gut. He continues speaking like he didn’t notice Nathaniel’s reaction. “Because we have a lot to talk about.”

“Just turn me in already,” Nathaniel snaps. “I know you’re going to, just--” he jerks his head and cuts himself off. 

“We’re not here to bring you back to your father, Nathaniel,” Kevin says. 

Nathaniel glares at him. “Don’t call me that.”

“It’s your name.” Kevin looks affronted.

“My name is Neil.”

Andrew slams the handle of the racquet into the ground. “Boring. They’re not here to kill you, Nathaniel. They’re here to recruit you, because Foxes specialize in broken things.”

Wymack would argue, but he’s more concerned with the way Neil is trying to be subtle about looking for exits. “Look, Nath-- Neil, we’re here because I want you to play for me. We’re not here for any other reason.”

“If you know that name, you know why I can’t say yes.”

“I think that name is exactly why you should say yes.”

“He’ll kill you,” Neil says. “Then me.” 

Wymack bites back his instinctive _let him try_. It wouldn’t be productive.

Andrew laughs. “Someone taught you to sing the same song they taught Kevin. I’ll make you a deal, rabbit. I’ll keep you safe from daddy dearest.”

Wymack blinks a few times. Kevin’s mouth opens, then closes. 

Neil snorts. “Like you could do anything against my-- against _him_.”

Andrew’s smile flickers. “Watch me.”

Wymack clears his throat. “Neil--”

“We’ll tell the Moriyamas who you are if you don’t come back with us,” Kevin blurts out. 

Neil’s face loses the color anger gave it. 

Andrew throws his head back and cackles. “Oh, I like that much better. Let’s do that.”

“We wouldn’t,” Wymack says, but it’s clear Neil doesn’t believe him. Neither Andrew nor Kevin say anything to help. Wymack keeps going anyway. “Kevin tries to tell the Moriyamas anything whatsoever, he’s off the team.” Kevin tries to protest, but Wymack steamrolls over him. “Andrew tries to, he and his family are off the team. Your secret’s safe with us, kid. They won’t risk it and I’ll never tell anyone. But you don’t have to say yes.”

Neil’s eyes flicker from Kevin to Andrew to Kevin again. 

“You’ll get to play with me,” Kevin adds. Wymack gives in to the urge to roll his eyes.

Neil’s quiet for a long moment. “Fine,” he says at last. “I’ll sign.”

“Great, another Exy junkie,” Andrew says. 

Neil doesn’t argue. 

Wymack gets the feeling that it’s going to be a very long year. 


End file.
